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Router speed controls.

John Pollman

John Pollman

Member
Messages
1,343
Location
Rochester Hills, MI
Hi there,
I have a Dewalt DW618 router and it works great, but it's installed in my router table. It's too difficult for me to adjust the speed because of where the control is at. Would it be OK to just set the router to full speed and plug it into a speed controller like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Variable-Controller-120V-220V-Electric-Rheostat/dp/B0C2VLSVR5/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic?content-id=amzn1.sym.d4fdc453-1595-4f7b-ba6a-eb2ac554591f%3Aamzn1.sym.d4fdc453-1595-4f7b-ba6a-eb2ac554591f&crid=33C70YZ4UAI5&cv_ct_cx=router%20speed%20controller&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Hrgs08AoGuJPcG0MZWPoS7cnpeEYljyosn0lL6lp4wvbfDMGldlAd_freAEbP6f6KJAngvHfbCtEw_tke814Bw.GZo-xuUT5VfX8XsYb3XjxQejmu6rVacxwZxH10xxE-E&dib_tag=se&keywords=router%20speed%20controller&pd_rd_i=B0C2VLSVR5&pd_rd_r=14521257-481c-45ff-8e3c-a44c98765466&pd_rd_w=nblZi&pd_rd_wg=nvgvw&pf_rd_p=d4fdc453-1595-4f7b-ba6a-eb2ac554591f&pf_rd_r=X6W7HBV693DPMCEWPPBT&qid=1709954996&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=router%20speed%2Caps%2C117&sr=1-3-364cf978-ce2a-480a-9bb0-bdb96faa0f61-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1&fbclid=IwAR3fVcaEZaGXUykAcyCWZCqtTdjBFxFF4IRpnCQSlNPUKpu1BRQiinRjTkA
 
From very quick casual reading ... I'm very not sure if that would work with this router...

The actual speed control unit has a few electronic parts on it that could be load sensing somehow, but i don't see how... but I'm also not sure what all the parts are doing here either and how the big metal unit fits into the router (and what it has inside it..)..


I would bet good money you could put that dial into a box and run longer wires from it to the module inside the router. That'd involve pulling the router apart, cutting the wires, and crimping a some longer ones in. That would solve the cost of a couple of wire connectors and some short pieces of wire (and maybe some wire protection tube).
 
I would agree with Ryan. The DW618 not only has an electronic speed control, but it also has a soft-start feature (likely a current limiting system).

I think the advice to extend the control out to a exterior box is a good idea and if you bought a replacement DeWalt control you could simply bypass the existing one and leave it in place in case you want to revert easily.
 
It's never a good idea to have two speed controllers connected together, but maybe you could disconnect the speed control potentiometer and extend the wiring out to a new speed control potentiometer of the same resistance and type. Removing the top cover should let you see the controller. The Type 1 and 2 are different and the assembly diagrams on www.ereplacementparts.com don't show the details needed to determine what will be needed. I own 3 of the DW618 routers, but have never needed to take them apart. My EE engineering background tells me that this should be possible, unless they encapsulated the whole speed control circuit. It's tough to reverse engineer things when they do this.

Charley
 
Don't expect much from them. They don't want you modifying their tools, but will sell you a whole new circuit board.

I had to reverse engineer a DeWalt 788 scroll saw because it had fallen over in our woodworking club's outreach trailer and the speed control shaft had become bent. It was remote on a short lead from the circuit board, but DeWalt wanted to sell the whole circuit board and the speed control as a single part for something like $80. I electrically measured the existing speed control and bought one with a long shaft, but otherwise the same from Radio Shack. A hack saw took care of the long shaft and the saw was repaired an hour later.

At one time Milwaukee offered their 3.5 hp router with an external speed control, but after about a year they discontinued it. Probably didn't sell enough to be worth offering.

Charley
 
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